The  young  deser 
Conf  Pam  i2mo  #603 


Vo.  00. 

"^rflE.YOm^G  BISERTER. 


EmilBV.  B.  MANLT,  JR»,iT?,.D.,  OREENVILLB,  ».  «. 


In  the  beginning  of  the  war,  a   youth  (wl^^ni 

\fe  will  call  Charles  l\ — )  joined  the  Confedr  «t« 

^rmy.     He  scem6<l  firod  with  hearty  zeal  fai  lh« 

•defence  ot"  our  Ss^vled  riiihts.     His    parents    .er» 

»<if  North-em  birtb,  but  oi  Southern   residence,  and 

5)rofes?ed  decidesd  adhesii  n  to  Southern  vievs  u — 

xhe  first   fe\v  movemeaU  of  the   war,   how  rer, 

'brought' their  pLice  of  abode  within   the  enr.  «y  V^ 

iih^.      Tlx'ir  son's  -oomj  any    was   station'   '"    ^^ 

^^guard 'ar.  important  point,  where,  across^'  i-wa-- 

'iers  of'Jfilampton  Koads,  the    United  8'      .^    j^       • 

•was  ffell  in  view»  beneath  which    hi»    *v*|jL     aad 

'fatoiw  had  taken  refuae.     Kveiy  f^       '      *"   u    ,,.,   ' 
•3  1  "^  1  .AY.   as  n    K**" 

'eti 'over  the  wavy  exprtuse,    bft  /,■  ..,uU^- 

♦,.w       11..  11  coald   sec  w her* 

%Aev  dwelt,  now  reconciled  a  '  ^i    *    *L    v-»   ' 

\eefyok«.  ev.n  if  thev  had  f  Tf"*'-'  '"'^  J'"^- 
an/'abetta,..  What  ir  .  "^'^  becou.e  its  aider* 
,  .    I      .  .       -1  ^li>aei!ces    prevaile  I    over 

his  boyigh  mind,  can'-         ,  *  •   i     n„    „,„ 

r-  ^    ■      X         A     :       xOt  be    certainly  kn.'wn. — ■ 
J3ut  someliow,  the  1  .       ,      .  .      ./    .v,     ^r- th^' 

,.  ,-1        c  -on^rmo;  to    lom    them,    or  U\9 

d,.hke  ofeanipr     ^^^^;.^_^=  or  the  ficklen  .s   oJ'. 

^">''.";'.'""l''r    .  over    Mso;.th  of  enlistrueut,  hi.' 

bU  drtic"  "   '  ^^^  "gll"^0"^n<'•^^  of""  «"  ■*«■  *'^. 
rpi  of  the  perils  of  desertion. 

^     jpportuuity  was  not  long  wantin;,  whi«»h 

jj-        jd  his  scarcely  ibrmed  desire  into    otion. — 

*  "*  jQoyous  Ught  boats  were   drawn  up  alon-jHlic 


beach,  with  which  the.  men  were  accu=^tomed  to 
sport,  sometimes  f  shing-,  sometimes  barely  arnus- 
ing  thejiiselves  with  a  brief  excursion.  One  evo- 
nirigas  the  gol  I  of  feuiiset  was  mingling  with  the 
silver  that  ores. ed  the  wavc^,  Charles  R —  enter- 
ed a  boat  and  pushed  off.  He  floated  about 
carelessly  wiUi  the  ebb  tide,  us  it  seemed,  for  a 
while,  by  degrees  getting  further  and  further  out," 
till,  from  th  J  distance  and  the  darkening  twilight, 
he  might  t?afely  venture  *m ore  decided  move- 
•  mei^ts.  F'rjrbaps  even  then  he  paused,  det>atinnr 
whether  ti )  go  or  return ;  but  the  attractions  ahead 
were  too  str'^ng.  Behind  him  were  his  sworn 
comrade  rin  arms.  Before  him  loomed  the  ene- 
my's ca-itle,  with  the  r.ssociates  of  his  early  life. 
To  theuf  his  heart  cleaved.  The  doubt  was"  over. 
With  mH  the  speed  his  eager  and  practised  hand 
could  givg,  he  urged  his  boat  to  Fortress  Monroe. 
He  was  ?-  successful  deserter. 

T  liave  kijo^yn  some  to  enlist  under  the  banner 
of  Jesus,  wliO  seemed  all  animated  with  noble 
zenl,  whose  promptitude  end  ardor  outran  the 
^liilidence  of  slower  minds,  and  gave  promise  of 
al  undantand  extensive  usefulness.  They  "seem- 
ed to  run  well,"  and  received  a  confidence  and 
position  in  the  church,  which  gave  them  power 
afterwards  to  bring  reproach  on  the  cause.  They 
were  not,  perhaps,  deceivers  at  first.  They 
meant  well,  felt  earnest,  thought  themselves 
sincere;  but  there  was  no  steadfastness,  no  prin- 
;Ciple,  no  actnairenewal  about  them.     Their  true 


attach  men  is  ^Tefe  elsewhere.  Their  cho  eii  as  -  * 
Fociations,  their  stronge^it  ties,  their  deepes^feel- 
ings  boimd  them  to  the  enemy.  And  so,  after  a 
struggle  with  the  shar>o  of  fickleucss,  and  with 
the  dread  of  their  sou  's  peril,  and  with  the  ob- 
ligation of  their  vows  and  covenants  — they  de- 
parted. It  was  not  nil  at  once,  perhaps ;  not  by 
vigors tLS  and  delerinined  movements  at  first. — 
But  th-3y  went.  They  left  the  Lord,  they  left 
his  people,  they  lei  this  ordinances,  they  left  his 
ways,  they  cast  his  book  aside,  they  put  his 
laws  behind  Mieir  back,  they  cut  themselves  off 
from  Ilim  i.nd  His.  In  tbe  outset,  perhaps,  it 
was  apparently  a  simple  yielding  to  the  stress  of 
^in ebbing  tide,  t.)  the  breathiui?  of  an  pff-shore 
wind  ;*  it  wns  bat  an  imperceptibly  movement, 
wnsuspected  by  others,  possibly  not  fully  deter- 
mined on  by  tni>.m.selvesj  but  the  tendency  was 
away  from  God  and  goodness,  it  was  prevailingly 
toward  evil.  The  temptation  gvew  stronger  as  - 
the  distance  and  thednrkness  of  the  soul  increas- 
ed, and  at  last  they  struck  out  straight  to  join  the 
^neniy. 

x^re  these  nny  such  desert3rs4n  this  camp? — 
Arc  there  any;  who  are  iiliely  to  become  such  ?— 
Are  there  ai-y,  who  are  even   now    conscious    of  _, 
the  temptation,  which    is    seducing  them  from 
God?     Are  there  any  who  have  begun  that  ha 
sportive,  half  serious.  pavleyin<^  which  may  soo 
subject  them  altogother-to  its  snares  ?     Are  iho^ 
'jaiiy.who  aie  even  now  swaying  back  and  for 
<0H  the  decei^l  wave*  that   lie  between  the 


fi«Mis  of  purity  and  evil,    half  questioning  with 
tbcmselves  whether  to  return  or  slay? 

Ton  have  not  gone  far.  Therefore  it  is  easy 
fo  stop  now.  You  are  not  yet  d^'te-rmined  to 
^  i®ld  and  go.  Therefore  determine  at  onc«  not 
t)  go.  Your  danger  may  seem  sKght.  It  is  for 
that  very  reason  more  likely  to  delude  and  to 
destroy  you.  Your  error  from  the  path  of  duty 
raay  appear  plausible,  may  almost  socm  extenua- 
ted, or  excused, by  the  circumstanees  ajroimd  you. 
Therefore  take  the  more  heed  lest  yi'U  fall.  Oh 
stop!  Think  where,  you  are  going!  Pray  for 
g:race  to  Him  that  is  able  to  keep  you  from  fall- 
ing. .•      ,  • 

But  perhaps  there  are  some  who  have  pas^sed 
beyond  this  doubtful  stage  of  indecision.  You 
are  not  resisting  temptation,  not  sti'UggUng  against 
backsliding ',  you  are  not  merely  meditating  ».• 
ctieeertion,  and  hesitating  before  you  b.  gin.  Yoiifc 
have  passed  the  Rubicon.  You  have  made  your 
ehoice.  You  are  fi  op,  from  the  restriiint  of  reli- 
gious profession,  and  have  cast  the  fi^ar  of  Grod 
behind  you.  Well,  you  are-  a  successful  deser- 
t«r.  You  have  gone  forth  ffom  Grod's  people, 
"because  you  were  not  of  them.     And  what  now  t 

The  vouTS  of  God  are  icport  you.  You  have" 
"broken  them;  hut  the  shattered  links  still  dingr 
''aix)und  your  soul,  and  cannot  be  shaken  ofS — 
You. have  renounced  Iiis  service.  But  that  doe* 
Bot  alter  the  iact,  that  you  onee  volurtarily  en- 
listed in  iL  And  so  you  stand,  before  God  anti 
««geis  and  mcHi  as  a  feieaker  of  ytowac  pi4)igi8©,  a* 


-A 


a  cdnscions  Tiolatcr  of  a  solemn  dolibptata  cove- 
nant with  your  God.     Is  it  not  so  ? 

Your  influence  is  most,  derided!?/ /('It  against  the 
cause  of  Christ,  which  once  yon  professed  to  hon- 
or.    You  are  not  only  ranked    with  the   encmy^ 
but  you  are  so  ranked  by   your  own    delibeiate 
preference.     And  you  have    poWef  to  do    more 
to  reliprion,  than  those  who  nevef  professed  to  be 
Christians.     Yonr  wnduct    seems  to  say  to  the 
iTorld — that  yon  have  tried  religion,    and  found 
it  to   bo  a  delusion.     Yoii  m-^y   say,  this  is  not. 
your  mcaninor  ;  but  such,  alas,    is  the  interpreta^- 
tion,  which  those  who  do  not  love  God  will  put" 
•n  your  testimony.     They  will    delight  to  points 
to  you  and  say,  'There  Is  a_man  who  was   'ona- 
of  the  saints,' but  has  groM'n   wiser."     They  will' 
boast  of  your  impiety,    will   strengthen    them— 
»«1tc9  on  your  weak  compliances,    -will  glory  itt? 
your  shame.     They -will  take  a  iiendish  satisfac- 
•  tion  in  dragging  you  with    them   to   deeper  and? 
more  damning    degradation,    because    you  once' 
tasted  of  the  good  word    of  God,  and    the  powers 
of  the  world  to   come.     Your  vices  will    be  the- 
theme   of  peculiar  merriment,  because  you  once- 
sat  at  the  table  of  the  Lord,   because  your  handss 
have  handled  the    holy  sacrament.     Your  blas- 
phemies will  be  greeted    with    spocial'  glee,  be- 
«ause  your  lips  have  joined  m  the  songs  of  heav- 
enly praise.     And  your  case  will  be  urged  as  the 
eonvincing    argument    which  should    deter    the^ 
giddy  from  serious  thought,  the  thoughtful  from, 


the  trembling  believer  from  public  profession. — 
You  will  be-made  the  stumbling  block,  for  the 
hflind  to  stuQibla  ovef  into  hell  1 

Your  case  is  one  o/  /ear fid  danger^  rs  well  as 
of  aggravated  sin.  "  If  he  that  despised  Moses' 
law  died  withoutunercy,  of  how  much  sorer  puii- 
ishmeht,  suppose  ye,  shall  ho  be  thought  worthy, 
who  ha^jh  trodden  under  fcot  the  Son  of  Grod, 
and  hath  counted  the  blood  of  the  covenant, 
wherewith -he  was  sanctified,  an  unholy  thing, 
and  hath  done  despite  unfo  the  Spirit  of  grace?'' 
There  is  in  your  case  peculiar,  trem'endot^s  dan- 
ger lest  yOu  will  lose  your  soul — lest  the  same 
influences  which  Ijfave  drawn  you  aside,  should 
keep  you  away  from  G-od— -lest  your  previous 
profession  of  piety  may  itself  become  one  of 4 he 
most  serious  barrit^rs  to  y©ur  becoming  willing 
even  to  listen  attentively  to  God's  word^-^les't 
-jour  former  experience  may  hinder  you  forever 
from  striving  to  enter -in  at  the  stryit  gate  — 
may  shut  y(^u  up  without  effort  here,  without 
hope  hereafter. 

Your  case  is  omy  not  desjperafe.  ']''here  i's  sal- 
vation even  for  such  as  yoii,  with  Him  who  "  is 
-able  to  save  unto  the  uttermos'."  There  is  p  'r- 
don  for  Deserters,  who  repent  and  return.  Lis- 
Vt'en  !  "  Though  your  sins  bo  as  scarlet,  they  shall 
be  as, white  as  s.ao'w ;  though.'  thcj  be  red  lifc^ 
crims)n,  they  shall  be  as  wool."  It  is  said  tbat 
this  word  scarlet  means  double  dyed.  Cpme, 
then,  je  double   dyed  transgressors,  who  hare 


broken  both  God's  law  and  jour  own  promise 
—come  and  try  bow  freely,  fully,  J^sus  can 
forgive.  '•  Ilim  tliat  Cometh  unto  me,  I  wiU  in 
no  wise  cast  out/'  "  The  blood  of  Jesus  Christ, 
Ilis  Son,  clcaQScth  u.^  from  all  sin."' 


TOO  J.ATK. 

An  IrapeniteiitsiDriCr  wa^  recently  brought  in- 
to tbe  near  prospect  of  eternity,  and  the  terrors 
of  God's  wrath  fell  upon  him.  His  friends  sonfc 
for  a  ministf^r  to  come  and  counsel  and  pray  with 
him  ;  but  though  he  sought  earnestly  to  lead  him 
to  Jesus,  it  .-oec^ied  of  no  avail.  Every  exncrt^,- 
tion  was  met  by  the  mournful  plaint,  "  It  is  too 
late; — too  late ! "  Tbe  mii>iptcr  spoke  of  the  mer- 
cy of  God,  of  his  long  siafFering  under  prcvoca- 
tion,  and  of  his  gracious  assurance  tha*^^  he  has 
^' no  pleasure 'in  the  death  of  the  wicked,  huh 
rather  that  he  turn  froin  his  way  f  nd  live."  A 
bitter  groan  was  the  first  respop.i^e  }  and  then,  as 
a  look  o{  asrony  convulsed  his  features,  he  delib- 
erately E»id  : 

"•J/y  caFe  is  beyond  all- this.  There  was  a 
time  when  God's  mercy  might  have  reached  me. 
In  after  life  I  often  felt  the  need  of  religion,  but 
I  could  not  bear  to  give  up  the  pleasure  of  sirt, 
and  I  quieted  my  conscience  by  resolvihg  to 
spend  only  a  /c?''  vears  in  sinful  indulgenccF; 
then  I  thought  I  woH'Td  marry,  and  promipcd  my- 
self that  when  once  settled  down  in  life,  I  v^culd 
without  delay  give  my  heart  to  God. 


H  At  twenty-four  I  manned,  and  ^i«tt   •g« 

conscience  reminded  me  of  my  vow,  and  cl«iau'd 
its  immediate  fulfilment.*  But  I  was  too  deeply 
intoxicated  with  the  cup  of  earthly  joys  to  listen 
to  the  faithful  monitor,  and  I  said,  '  Go  thy  w&y 
for  this  time  also/  "  . 

"  Then  affliction  came,  and  I  was  brought  to 
the  Very  borders  of  the  grave.  In  bitter  agony  I 
sought  the  mercy-seat;  and  again  I  promised 
that,  if  spared,  I  would  at  once,  repent  and  lead 
a  new  life.  God's  mercy  spared  me;  but  with 
returning  health  came  renewed  cares  about  my 
business  and  family,  and  the  great  business  of 
life  was  again  put  off  for  a  more  convenient  sea- 
son. That  season  never  came  ;  serious  thoughta 
and  solemn  resolutions  have  often  visited  m« ; 
God's  messages  of  wrath  and  of  mercy  have  been 
sounded  in  my  ears,  my  broken  vows  have  clam- 
ored loudly  of  my  guilt,  and  again  and  ag&iji  I 
have  promised  myself  that  to-morrow  I  would  re- 
pent. Thus  have  I  passed  forty  years  of  thft 
most  aggravated  folly  and  guilt — God's  tnereies 
and  judgments  alike  unregarded  ;  and  can  yoti 
wonder  that  lie  now  forsakes  Ihe  wreti^i  he  ha*  so 
long  and  so  patiently  borne  with?  Be  is  ju**-. 
My  destruction  is  the  work  of  my  own  hands,  and 
I  must  reap  the  bitter  frait  to  all  eternity.  Xoa<,-, 
^05^,  lost!  mustyor  ever  be  my  wail." 

And  thus  he  died,  another  fearful  exaitepU  erf 
the  danger  of  delay^  aa.d  the  vital  importaaca  «s>C 
living  in  prepai'ation  to  meet  God.  ^^^^^ 


HoUinger  Corp. 
pH8.5 


